Populus tree named &#39;RRR Yellow&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinctly salt and boron tolerant poplar tree cultivar named “RRR Yellow,” is particularly distinguishable by its ability to tolerate and grow in soil with high concentrations of salt, boron and selenium. The cultivar was originally discovered as a sport through stringent selection of cultivated poplar trees, and potentially from isolation of a single unique sapling or sport that exhibited high levels of salt and boron tolerance necessary for survival, and then propagated into the “RRR Yellow” cultivar.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Selection and development of the “RRR Yellow” poplar tree cultivar was sponsored by federal research at the USDA-ARS and supported by State of California funds in the form of grants from the California State University Fresno Agricultural Research Initiative and the California Department of Water Resources.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Populus deltoids×Populus nigra

CULTIVAR DENOMINATION

“RRR Yellow”

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

Poplar trees are part of the genus Populus, comprising many species, some of which can hybridize with other species within the same genus. The poplar tree is a fast growing tree and can grow under a variety of adverse conditions. Their aggressive root system can tap into shallow water tables and, as such, help manage the upward migration of water and soluble salts toward the soil surface. However, several negative physiological effects, e.g., osmotic effects, water stress, and ion imbalance, on poplar trees exposed to salinity may inhibit growth at the cost of carbohydrate production, decreased photosynthesis and stomatal conductance (Neuman, et al. (1996)). There is the need for a type of poplar tree that does not exhibit these negative physiological effects when exposed to salinity.

Irrigation water quality and drainage water disposal have become priority issues for irrigated agriculture in the western San Joaquin Valley of Central California, after inorganic salt contaminants, particularly selenium and boron, were reportedly responsible for waterfowl deformities observed at Kesterson National Wildlife Refuge (Ohlendorf et al., 1986). Evidence suggests that recycling saline water originating from agricultural drainage or from shallow ground waters is desirable over disposing of the saline water (Oster, 1994). Recycling poor quality water for irrigation may have application for more than 250,000 acres of drainage-impacted soils of the Western San Joaquin Valley, but its long-term use requires a critical evaluation that includes irrigation and irrigation delivery systems (Dudley et al., 2008). A practical water reuse strategy in Central California would require the selection of salt and boron tolerant crops and trees for use with waters high in salinity (e.g., 10 dS/m) and boron (10 mg/L) (Lin et al., 2002).

The Integrated on-Farm Drainage Management (IFDM) system expanded the idea of recycling salt-laden drainage water in agricultural systems (Cervinka et al., 1999). Within the IFDM system, trees may offer other advantages over vegetative plants because they transpire larger quantities of water, produce larger biomass, have longer life spans, are deeper rooted, promote greater ecosystem diversity, and re-grow new stems after they have been cut. In previous IFDM implementations, trees, such as Eucalyptus spp. had been planted as border recipient plants for poor quality drainage and surface waters.

2. Description of the Relevant Prior Art

Salt and boron tolerant poplar trees have been selected from screenings occurring on simulated micro-field conditions in Parlier, Calif. (Banuelos, et al. 2010). The micro-field conditions were created by digging 1 m deep pits in Parlier, Calif. and filling the pits with soil (Banuelos, et al. 2010). Poplar trees were planted in the 1 m deep pits and irrigated with waters containing boron and increasing salt levels.

What is needed is the selection of salt and boron tolerant trees to be screened in actual adverse field conditions of the Western San Joaquin Valley.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a salt and boron tolerant hybrid cultivar of Populus named “RRR Yellow.” The “RRR Yellow” was identified from a field selection process to produce a poplar tree cultivar that is salt and boron tolerant, and can survive and readily phytomanage selenium from the soils and or groundwaters of the Western San Joaquin Valley region of California.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows the entire structure of three “RRR Yellow” cultivars, from their trunk to their leaves.

FIG. 2 shows “RRR Yellow” cultivars and some of their branch structures.

FIG. 3 shows the upper surface of a leaf from the “RRR Yellow” cultivar.

FIG. 4 shows the lower surface of a leaf from the “RRR Yellow” cultivar.

FIG. 5 shows a branch of the “RRR Yellow” cultivar with leaves.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

“RRR Yellow” is a cultivar of Populus tree identified through a screening and cultigen selection program. “RRR Yellow” is best described as a sport or a mutant with a uniquely expressed genotype, resulting in a phenotype allowing this unique individual to tolerate high concentration salt and boron. “RRR Yellow” is a cultivar that was asexually propagated from a poplar tree cultigen, which was initially selected among others for their salt and boron tolerance from individual specimens growing at the USDA-ARS National Arid Land Genetic Resources Unit in Parlier, Calif. and subsequently at Red Rock Ranch in Five Points, Calif.

1. Cultivar Selection

At least 200 Populus tree clones were cut biannually in Pullman, Wash. and sent to Parlier, Calif., as hardwood cuttings prior to each growing season and stored under cold storage conditions at 14° C. at the San Joaquin Valley Research Center. The Populus hybrid clones sent from University of Washington included: P. nigra (N), P. deltoides (D), P. trichocarpa×P. nigra (T×N), P. trichocarpa×P. deltoides (T×D), P. deltoides×P. nigra (D×N), P. trichocarpa×P. maximowizcii (T×M), P. trichocarpa×P. deltoides×P. maximowizii (T×D×M), and P. trichocarpa×P. deltoides×P. nigra (T×D×N).

In the first selection step, the Populus tree clones were analyzed in microfield plots for tolerance of irrigation water containing high salt and high boron concentrations. In the second selection step, after multi-year testing, the top three performing Populus tree clones from the microfield plots were selected based on their salt and boron tolerance to undergo a further selection process at Red Rock Ranch, in Five Points, Calif. Among the three clones tested the “RRR Yellow” cultivar best tolerated and grew the best when exposed to high salt and high boron concentrations in irrigation water and in soil at Red Rock Ranch.

A. For the first selection process, poplar tree clones were grown in microfield plots and irrigated with water having high concentrations of salt and boron.

The first selection process involved a multi-year screening study conducted at the USDA-ARS San Joaquin Valley Research Center, Parlier, Calif. from fall 1998 through spring 2001. The Populus hybrid clones were evaluated as young trees (<6 months) in fall of 1998, spring and fall of 1999, spring of 2000, and spring of 2001. The Populus hybrid clone cuttings, measuring about 20 cm in length and about 3 cm in diameter, were planted in groups of four in 4-liter pots containing commercial potting soil mix, irrigated with good quality water, and grown under natural lighting greenhouse conditions for approximately two months prior to transplanting for both spring and fall growing seasons. All Populus hybrid clones were sprayed with Pentac for spider mite control.

Ten days prior to transplanting, all planted pots were removed from the greenhouse, and the sprouted trees were hardened outside under normal weather conditions. After hardening, the sprouted Populus hybrid trees were transplanted into 40-liter pots containing about 58 kg of soil (Hanford fine sandy loam soil with a pH of about 7.2, electrical conductivity of about 0.9 dS/m, and boron of less than about 1 mg/L) and mixed with an equivalent of about 60 kg/ha of ammonium nitrate. Those individual planted pots were then placed into 1 m deep soil pits spaced at least 1 m part from one another.

The Populus hybrid clones were watered with simulated agricultural drainage waters containing high concentrations of salt and boron. Salt treatments for the recycled water were selected based in part on high salinity and boron levels typically found in Integrated on-Farm Drainage Management (IFDM) water reuse systems in the Western San Joaquin Valley of Central California. Table 1 shows the salt content of the irrigation water. The electrical conductivity (ECe) of the irrigation salt solutions was initially 10 dS/m, and 10 mg boron/L (2.7 meq/L). Salinity was increased in the irrigation water to 20 dS/m with 10 mg boron/L, and in some cases up to 30 dS/m and 10 mg boron/L. By increasing salinity incrementally, the young trees became established before being exposed to increasing salinity in the irrigation water. Control applications comprised low salinity and low boron water, <1 dS/m and<1 mg B/L.

TABLE 1 Saline Composition of Irrigation Water Used on Populus Hybrid Clones During Studies Ca (meq/L) Na (meq/L) Cl (meq/L) SO₄ (meq/L) B (meq/L) Water Salinity Measured as Electrical Conductivity (dS/m) 10 8 91 95 4 2.7 20 18 198 207 9 2.7 30 27 305 319 13 2.7

The plots containing Populus hybrid clones were irrigated every 2-4 days, depending on climate conditions, with an amount of water necessary to replenish water lost by evaporation and transpiration. An additional 10%-15% irrigation water was provided to account for any water lost by leaching. The estimated crop coefficient ranged from about 0.4 to about 0.7 for the young trees during one growing season. Table 2 shows the average daily high and low temperatures and total evapotranspiration losses for each respective growing season.

TABLE 2 Data Showing General Weather Conditions Experienced by Populus Clones Total Evapo- transpir- Average Precipi- ation Air Temperature Solar tation Losses Max Min radiation Season Dates (mm) (mm) (deg C.) (deg C.) (W/m²) Fall 1998 0.5 73 22.9 6.1 163 (Oct. 6 1998- Nov. 9 1998) Spring 1999 35 860 28.7 12.2 303 (Mar. 30 1999- Aug. 26 1999) Fall 1999 19.3 203 26.6 8.6 173 (Sep. 13 1999- Nov. 27 1999) Spring 2000 45.7 796 31.1 14.0 311 (Apr. 9 2000- Aug. 19 2000) Spring 2001 22.8 791 33.2 14.7 322 (Apr. 2 2001- Aug. 20 2001)

The harvest date for each evaluation trial was determined by the observed severity of any leaf toxicity symptoms, e.g., burning and/or and necrosis of the leaves, conditions which led to leaf drop. Due to the large number of Populus hybrid clones evaluated over a period of about 4 years, a general rating based upon exhibited leaf toxicity symptoms was used to indicate each clone's response to the irrigation water containing high salinity and high boron concentrations. Based upon visual observation, and subsequent estimation on the quality of the remaining leaves on the surviving Populus clones, at the designated end of each growing season, a general rating system was developed as follows for the boron and salt treated clones as compared to the control Populus trees: good (exhibited necrosis of leaf margin on remaining leaves and retained more than about 50% of its leaves), fair (exhibited moderate leaf necrosis on remaining leaves and retained between about 20% and about 50% of its leaves), and poor (exhibited severe leaf necrosis and retained less than about 20% of its leaves).

Table 3 shows the performance of the Populus clones planted in fall of 1998 as they were irrigated with water containing high concentrations of salt and boron. As shown in Table 3, Populus clones were treated for 32 days with a total of about 1200 mL water of 10 dS/m, about 900 mL water of 20 dS/m, and about 2100 mL water of 10 mg B/L. A total of about 8.8 grams of salt (including about 5 g of choloride), and about 21 mg of boron was applied to the Populus clones. The clones were compared to control Populus trees which were watered with about 6750 mL of good quality water.

TABLE 3 Results of Irrigating Poplar Clones Planted as Hardwood Cuttings in Fall of 1998 with Water Containing High Concentrations of Salt and Boron. Clone Designation Parentage * Performance 347-14  TD × N Good  14-129 D Poor  93-968 T Poor 184-408 T × D Poor 184-411 T × D Poor 195-529 T × D Poor 23-91 T × D Poor 23-96 T × D Poor  52-225 T × D Poor  52-229 T × D Poor 262-4  T × M Poor 272-239 T × M Poor 282-189 T × M Poor 306-49  T × N Poor 310-84  T × N Poor 310-85  T × N Poor 353-273 T × TD Poor 233-3  TD × M Poor Eridano D × M Poor * The parentage is described in paragraph [0016]

Table 4 shows the performance of the Populus clones planted in spring of 1999 as they were irrigated with water containing high concentrations of salt and boron. As shown in Table 4, Populus clones were treated for 148 days with a total of about 2250 mL water of 10 dS/m, about 8750 mL water of 20 dS/m, about 1800 mL water of 30 dS/m, and about 12,800 mL water of 10 mg B/L. A total of about 161 grams of salt (including about 92 g of chloride), and about 120 mg of boron was applied to the Populus clones. The clones were compared to control Populus trees, which were watered with about 26,250 mL of good quality water.

TABLE 4 Results of Irrigating Poplar Clones Planted as Hardwood Cuttings in Spring of 1999 with Water Containing High Concentrations of Salt and Boron. Parentage Clone Designation (Clone Designation)* Performance  13-308 N Good  13-366 D × N Good Simplot Alkaline D × N Good 311-93  T × N Good Tassman D × N Fair 345-1  T × N Fair  12-106 T Poor  91-568 T Poor 13-17 N Poor 14-66 D × N Poor 184-40  T × D Poor 184-402 T × D Poor 23-91 T × D Poor 272-97  T × D Poor 272-98  T × M Poor 281-181 T × M Poor 286-74  T × M Poor 286-69  TD × M Poor 310-87  T × N Poor 346-12  TD × N Poor 347-13  TD × N Poor 347-14  TD × N Poor *The parentage is described in paragraph [0016]

Table 5 shows the performance of the Populus clones planted in fall of 1999 as they were irrigated with water containing high concentrations of salt and boron. As shown in Table 5, Populus clones were treated for 75 days with a total of about 12,400 mL water of 10 dS/m, about 900 mL water of 20 dS/m, about 13,300 mL water of 30 dS/m, and about 12,800 mL water of 10 mg B/L. A total of about 91 grams of salt (including about 48 g of chloride), and about 133 mg of boron was applied to the Populus clones. The clones were compared to control Populus trees which were watered with about 18,000 mL of good quality water (less than 1 dS/m).

TABLE 5 Results of Irrigating Poplar Clones Planted as Hardwood Cuttings in Fall of 1999 with Water Containing High Concentrations of Salt and Boron. Clone Designation Parentage * Performance 304-22  T × N Good 315-131 T × N Good 302-4  T × N Poor 302-5  T × N Poor 302-6  T × N Poor 303-11  T × N Poor 303-12  T × N Poor 304-21  T × N Poor 304-23  T × N Poor 305-31  T × N Poor 305-32  T × N Poor 305-33  T × N Poor 306-41  T × N Poor 306-42  T × N Poor 307-51  T × N Poor 308-61  T × N Poor 313-111 T × N Poor 313-112 T × N Poor 313-113 T × N Poor 314-121 T × N Poor 314-122 T × N Poor 314-123 T × N Poor 315-132 T × N Poor 316-141 T × N Poor 318-161 T × N Poor 318-162 T × N Poor * The parentage is described in paragraph [0016]

Table 6 shows the performance of the Populus clones planted in spring of 2000 as they were irrigated with water containing high concentrations of salt and boron. As shown in Table 6, Populus clones were treated for 132 days with a total of about 4500 mL water of 10 dS/m, about 6800 mL water of 20 dS/m, about 5400 mL water of 30 dS/m, and about 16,700 mL water of 10 mg B/L. A total of about 220 grams of salt (including about 126 g of chloride), and about 167 mg of boron was applied to the Populus clones. The clones were compared to control Populus trees which were watered with about 26,200 mL of good quality water.

TABLE 6 Results of Irrigating Poplar Clones Planted as Hardwood Cuttings in Spring of 2000 with Water Containing High Concentrations of Salt and Boron. Clone Designation Parentage * Performance  13-366 D × N Good Simplot Alkaline D × N Good 302-1  T × N Good 302-4  T × N Good 303-14  T × N Good 304-22  T × N Good 304-26  T × N Good 305-35  T × N Good 309-71  T × N Good 309-72  T × N Good 311-93  T × N Good 345-1  TD × N Good 347-14  TD × N Good  13-308 N Fair 315-131 T × N Fair 315-135 T × N Fair 14-71 D Poor Tassman D × N Poor 303-13  T × N Poor 304-25  T × N Poor 305-34  T × N Poor 306-41  T × N Poor 306-42  T × N Poor 306-44  T × N Poor 306-45  T × N Poor 312-101 T × N Poor * The parentage is described in paragraph [0016]

Table 7 shows the performance of the Populus clones planted in spring of 2001 as they were irrigated with water containing high concentrations of salt and boron. As shown in Table 7, Populus clones were treated for 122 days with a total of about 800 mL of good quality water, 6800 mL water of 10 dS/m, about 13,800 mL water of 20 dS/m, about 20,600 mL water of 10 mg B/L. A total of about 220 grams of salt (including about 123 g of chloride), and about 206 mg of boron was applied to the Populus clones. The clones were compared to control Populus trees which were watered with about 45,700 mL of good quality water.

TABLE 7 Results of Irrigating Poplar Clones Planted as Hardwood Cuttings in Spring of 2001 with Water Containing High Concentrations of Salt and Boron. Clone Designation Parentage * Performance 313-114 T × N Good 314-124 T × N Fair 302-1  T × N Poor 302-4  T × N Poor 303-14  T × N Poor 304-24  T × N Poor 304-26  T × N Poor 304-27  T × N Poor 304-28  T × N Poor 305-35  T × N Poor 306-43  T × N Poor 306-47  T × N Poor 306-448 T × N Poor 309-71  T × N Poor 309-72  T × N Poor 311-93  T × N Poor 313-115 T × N Poor 315-132 T × N Poor 316-143 T × N Poor 317-152 T × N Fair 317-153 T × N Poor 317-154 T × N Poor * The parentage is described in paragraph [0016]

-   -   B. For the second selection process, three selected poplar tree         clones were grown in salt and boron-laden soils in the Western         San Joaquin Valley.

Three of the top Populus clones rated as “Good” performers during the microfield studies were selected because they were repeatedly the heartiest clones during the first selection process. These clones are: 13-366 (designated as RRR Yellow), 345-1 (designated as RRR Red), and 347-14 (designated as RRR Blue). In spring of 2006, 80 cuttings were taken respectively from the parents of these selected three clones, and planted at Red Rock Ranch in the Western San Joaquin Valley in Central California. Each clone was planted 3 m apart and replicated four times within one block; there were a total of 20 blocks running north and south. After 6 years of growth under these adverse conditions (described below), the field selection showed that “RRR Yellow” was the best performer in all tested blocks. Evidence of this was observed through greater leaf biomass, greater height, and less necrotic leaves near the latter part of each growing season.

The environment at Red Rock Ranch is very dry, hot, and exposed to high light intensity. The average summer (June-August) temperature at Red Rock Ranch ranges from a high of approximately 35 degrees C. during the day to a low of approximately 16 degrees C. at night. The average winter temperature (January and February) at Red Rock Ranch ranges from a high of approximately 12 degrees C. during the day to a low of approximately 3 degrees C. at night. The relative humidity ranges from approximately 28% to approximately 70% in the summer (June-August), and approximately 70% to approximately 95% in the winter (January and February). Horizontal solar radiation averages approximately 8 kWh/m²/d in July with an annual total ranging from approximately 1.8 MWh/m² to approximately 2.0 MWh/m². There is virtually no rainfall for four months from May through September, and evapotranspiration (ETo) remains high with daily rates of approximately 7 mm (7 L/m²/d).

Red Rock Ranch has clay soils, containing high concentrations of salt . (Na₂SO₄, NaCl, CaCl₂, Na₂SeO₄, CaSO₄, Na₂B₄O₅(OH)₄, and CaB₃O₄(OH)₃) and boron. The Red Rock Ranch soil composition is classified as an Oxalis silty clay loam (fine montmorillonitic, thermic Pachic Haploxeral with a well-developed salinity profile. Soil salinity varies from approximately 4 dS/m to approximately 8 dS/m, while soluble boron varies from approximately 4 mg/L to approximately 7 mg/L. The top 30 cm of soil contains between approximately 2 μg Se/g and approximately 4 μg Se/g of total selenium, and the extractable selenium concentrations range between approximately 0.8 μg Se/mL and approximately 1.2 μg Se/mL. The presence of poor quality shallow groundwater underneath the trees (fluctuates between 1 m and 3 m from soil surface) contributed to additional salt and boron stress for the trees. Periodic groundwater sampling showed that EC and B ranged from 10 dS/m to 18 dS/m and 10 mg/L to 18 mg/L, respectively.

The “RRR Yellow” tree tolerates the high salt and high boron soil conditions, as well as the climate conditions, very well. The “RRR Yellow” tree is still alive and growing well at Red Rock Ranch, in Five Points, Calif. The “RRR Yellow” tree cultivar growing at Red Rock Ranch has been successfully reproduced asexually multiple times, including one time for growing in heavy metal contaminated soils at the University of Zurich in Switzerland.

2. “RRR Yellow” Cultivar Specification

The following detailed description sets forth the distinctive characteristics of the “RRR Yellow” poplar tree. The data which define these characteristics were collected from a 6-year old tree growing in Red Rock Ranch, in Five Points, Calif. Color references are to The Royal Horticulture Society Color Chart (2001 edition).

-   Classification: Populus deltoides×Populus nigra -   Common name: Poplar -   Tree:     -   -   Vigor.—Moderate.         -   Shape.—Upright, columnar; annual growth 1.3 m.         -   Height of the entire tree including crown.—Approximately 10             meters to 12 meters. -   Trunk:     -   -   Size.—Original tree, caliper about 45 cm at 0.5 m from             ground.         -   Diameter at 6 years of age measured at 2 m off the ground.—.         -   Height to first limb.—.         -   Growth habit.—Erect excurrent branching.         -   Growth rate.—1.3 m/annually.         -   Bark color.—grey brown 199B and grey orange N170B.         -   Bark texture.—rough on lower 1 meter and smooth beyond. -   Branches: Emerge at an angle of between 30 degrees and 60 degree     from trunk.     -   -   Branching habit.—dominant main stem with ascending excurrent             branching.         -   Color.—Two year old shoot bark color, grey green 198A. One             year-old lateral branches, grey green 195B.         -   Crotch angle.—40 degrees to 45 degrees.         -   Internode length.—Average internode length on one-year shoot             6 cm (range 3 to 7 cm). -   Mature leaves:     -   -   Length.—Range 5 cm to 10 cm; average 7.6 cm.         -   Width.—Range of 6 cm to 12 cm; average 8.8 cm.         -   Petiole.—30 mm to 45 mm in length; average 38 mm; diameter 1             mm to 3 mm. Color of petiole is red 44 C on upper surface,             and yellow green 153A on lower surface.         -   Shape.—Broadly ovate.         -   Color of upper surface.—green 139A.         -   Color of lower surface.—dull green N138B.         -   Texture.—Upper surface: very smooth, glossy sheen. Lower             surface: smooth, dull, leathery. -   Leaf buds:     -   -   Length.—approximately 7 mm, narrow.         -   Color.—color grey orange 171A and yellow green 144B.         -   Shape.—Narrow ovate, 4 mm at base and pointed at tip.         -   Bud scale shape.—ovate.         -   Bud scale number.—8-10. -   Flowers: None. -   Pest and disease resistance: No known pest or disease resistance. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct salt and boron tolerant cultivar of poplar tree named “RRR Yellow,” as substantially illustrated and described herein. 